Louis van Gaal has received assurances about his future at Manchester United, including calls from the executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, and the former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and insists he will keep his job at Old Trafford.

Van Gaal said he had also been given the backing of the former chief executive David Gill and asked whether the journalists at his press conference wanted to apologise. He then walked out in a fit of pique. It lasted four minutes and 58 seconds, comprising only three questions, before he made for the exit, saying he was there only because it was part of the Premier League’s regulations.

His performance was reminiscent of some of Ferguson’s regular walk-outs but the key line before leaving his seat was that Woodward had told him there were no plans to sack him on the back of the dismal run in which the team has been eliminated from the Champions League and managed only seven shots on target in their past four home matches.

United’s manager was clearly aggrieved about the level of speculation since the 2-1 home defeat by Norwich City last weekend, when he admitted that he “cannot close my eyes” to the prospect of losing his job. His team have fallen to fifth in the Premier League, with growing criticism about their style of play, but Van Gaal has been assured that José Mourinho has not been offered the job, in keeping with what the former Chelsea manager’s agent, Jorge Mendes, said on Tuesday.

Van Gaal had previously admitted being “worried” he was vulnerable but the Dutchman seemed emboldened by what he had heard from the people directly above him and grateful for Arsène Wenger’s comments about the speculation being “disrespectful” for a manager with the Dutchman’s background.

“Has anybody in this room not a feeling to apologise to me?” Van Gaal asked. “That’s what I’m wondering. I think I was already sacked, I read. I have been sacked. My colleague [Mourinho] was here already. What do you think happens with my wife or my kids [when they read that]? Or with my grandchildren? Or with the fans of Manchester United? Or my friends? What do you think? They have called me a lot of times and also Arsène Wenger is saying something about that. So, you think that I want to talk with the media now? I am here only because of the Premier League rules that I have to talk with you. But I can see when I say something that you use my words in your context. And I only want to say that I have tried to lift the confidence of my players. I have done everything this week.

“I held meetings with the players and with my members of staff. I held a Christmas lunch. I did a speech and I felt the warmth and support of everybody in Carrington, our training complex. But I didn’t feel that in the media and, of course, I can imagine you can write about that subject. We are not in a good position but four weeks ago we were first in the Premier League and in four weeks’ time we can be back in that position again.”

For that to happen would need a dramatic shift in form, with United nine points adrift of Leicester City at the top. United have not won any of their past six games, meaning Van Gaal’s win ratio, 50.7%, is lower than David Moyes’s figure of 52.95%. There have also been clear indications that many supporters have lost faith in Van Gaal but the former Holland manager had clearly been encouraged by what he has heard from the club’s England-based directors. His team play at Stoke City on Saturday, followed by Chelsea’s visit to Old Trafford two days later, and Van Gaal insisted they were still in the title race.

“I don’t think that you can do that [speculate about my position] because you have to stick by the facts and when I get calls off Alex Ferguson and David Gill and Ed Woodward [it is] because you are creating something that is not good, which is not the facts,” Van Gaal said, before rising to his feet. “Now I have to answer questions; I don’t think I want to do it. I say that I am focused on Stoke City. I help my players. I wish you a Merry Christmas and also maybe a Happy New Year when I see you. Enjoy the wine and a mince pie.”